Preview — The Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorato

The Glassblower of Murano

Venice, 1681.Glassblowing is the lifeblood of theRepublic, and Venetian mirrors aremore precious than gold. Jealously guarded by the murderous Council of Ten, the glassblowers of Murano are virtually imprisoned on their island in the lagoon. But the greatest of the artists, Corradino Manin, sells his methods and his soul to the Sun King, Louis XIV of France, to protect hisVenice, 1681. Glassblowing is the lifeblood of the Republic, and Venetian mirrors are more precious than gold. Jealously guarded by the murderous Council of Ten, the glassblowers of Murano are virtually imprisoned on their island in the lagoon. But the greatest of the artists, Corradino Manin, sells his methods and his soul to the Sun King, Louis XIV of France, to protect his secret daughter. In the present day his descendant, Leonora Manin, leaves an unhappy life in London to begin a new one as a glassblower in Venice. As she finds new life and love in her adoptive city, her fate becomes inextricably linked with that of her ancestor and the treacherous secrets of his life begin to come to light....more

Paperback, 368 pages

Published
May 26th 2009
by St. Martin's Griffin
(first published 2006)

Community Reviews

Let me start by saying I much prefer recommending good books over warning people away from bad ones. But sometimes the only right, responsible thing to do is tell others to be wary. This is such a case.

Being a history buff with a particular interest in Venice (see John Julius Norwich for something worth your time if Venice interests you), I was looking forward to a light, historical fiction read. I was even OK with the romance angle -- the cover looked decent enough and didn't scream "stay away"Let me start by saying I much prefer recommending good books over warning people away from bad ones. But sometimes the only right, responsible thing to do is tell others to be wary. This is such a case.

Being a history buff with a particular interest in Venice (see John Julius Norwich for something worth your time if Venice interests you), I was looking forward to a light, historical fiction read. I was even OK with the romance angle -- the cover looked decent enough and didn't scream "stay away" (or "welcome home," depending on your perspective) as so many genre covers do.

But the actual writing in this book is so amateurish, so poorly crafted that it insults the reader. Ladies and gentlemen, just consider these few pieces of evidence. (Trust me, there is plenty more where this stuff came from.)

Early in the book, Nora, known as Nora, has no money concerns. She's just gotten all the proceeds from the sale of a house that the writer tells us is impressive and important enough to have a name, Belmont. A few chapters later, after less than a month in a hotel, Nora, known as Nora, is worried about collecting a workman's paycheck because she's nearly run through all her money?

The dialogue is insipid. In more than one place, Nora, known as Nora, or another character refers aloud to "Corrado, known as Corradino." Seriously, say that out loud to yourself. Who speaks like that? OK, perhaps one speaker has a quirk. But why would multiple characters speak the same stilted words? It's like Ms. Fiorato found a sliver of research and is determined to beat her reader about the head and shoulders with it.

Nora, known as Nora, swiftly and magically locates and moves into the most perfect, affordable apartment (no ancient pipes, no crumbling moldy walls, no wiring problems, perfect plumbing, gorgeous view, you know, just the everyday find in a 1,200-year-old city), lives there a month, and then the writer tells us that Nora, known as Nora, has been in Venice now for four months. What? Two or three weeks in a hotel plus one month in an apartment. Where did those two-and-a-half extra months come from? And why has it been Autumn and "end of the tourist season" for three straight months? Is this a Doctor Who adventure, A Slow Death by Pen in Venice perhaps?

A journalist character appears. We're told she's ambitious and driven. She was promoted to a bureau in Rome, then Milan, now back to Venice to an even higher position. (And trust me, even the dimmest of readers will figure out her secret identity in 30 seconds flat.) And her reward for that determination and drive? She's sent out to write a puff-piece about a sad marketing campaign from a down-on-its-luck glass factory? Really? No wonder she's so bitter. The author clearly knows nothing about how newspapers work. Driven, ambitious, important journalists don't take assignments that would make even an intern sniff, "I don't think so. What else you got?"

In that same chapter about the journalist, the author makes the worst, most amateurish mistake. Mid-chapter, she suddenly jumps perspective from the main character, Nora, known as Nora, and jerks the reader into this journalist's head -- no warning, no signal of the switch, nothing. (Mind control, perhaps? Maybe my Doctor Who theory isn't so far off?) This is the type of mistake beginning writers learn not to make in Fiction Writing 101 classes. Or they fail the class. I'm flabbergasted at how this scene made it into print.

Chapter 19, "The Fourth Estate," is where I finally lost my sh*t, as the kids say. The writer gives us the text of a story that appears in a local paper. Ms. Fiorato, when is the last time you actually read a newspaper? Can you please Please PLEASE show me just ONE real newspaper story that has ever included lines like "Our readers will remember just days ago" or "Little did we know then what this paper has been able to discover..." (And I remind you, this isn't a story about Venice sinking, the local gondola industry disappearing, or political corruption -- this is a story about a marketing campaign and the reader is expected to believe that a real live newspaper editor would assign a whole series of stories on it.) Ms. Fiorato, I ask again, have you ever actually read a newspaper? Even a passing glance would have told you that this story you "quote," this isn't how newspapers are written.

From this point on, I confess it was a hate-read. I finished the book simply because I wanted to see how bad it would get. Trust me. "Bad" is being kind. Writing is rewriting, so any good author will tell you, and I would lay odds that I've rewritten this review more times than Ms. Fiorato took a crack at her own pages.

But let's let poor Ms. Fiorato off the hook a bit. After all, one hopes there was an editor for this book, yes? The marketing department did a great job packaging the thing, but why didn't an editor kick this manuscript back and make Ms. Fiorato rewrite these ridiculous passages? Why didn't someone ask her to do the hard work that a writer should do?

As for the historic elements, the information about Venice and glassblowing is slapped into the text in the most ham-handed fashion. Italian words are thrust in unnecessarily when they don't add texture or flavor -- really, why not just use the English word "proprietor"?

This book insults the reader, and should embarrass the author (though since she's churned out threefour more of these things, good on her for turning a buck -- clearly she has found an audience equal to her talent. Part of me is tempted to read and review the rest but, no, I think there is an infomercial on TV that I need to catch).

Venice, on the other hand, has grounds to sue Ms. Fiorato and ban her from mentioning its name in print ever again....more

I seem to have read several historical novels recently which interweave a modern story with one from the past - this is another along the same lines.

The modern-day story is about an English woman, half Venetian, who moves to Venice after her marriage breaks up and starts tracing the story of her famous ancestor, a master glass-maker. She also follows in his footsteps by working for a traditional glassmaker.

It's well-written and an easy, flowing read - the historical parts are better than the modI seem to have read several historical novels recently which interweave a modern story with one from the past - this is another along the same lines.

The modern-day story is about an English woman, half Venetian, who moves to Venice after her marriage breaks up and starts tracing the story of her famous ancestor, a master glass-maker. She also follows in his footsteps by working for a traditional glassmaker.

It's well-written and an easy, flowing read - the historical parts are better than the modern-day parts, I thought - but some of it is very sentimental, especially towards the end, which does get a bit cloying. All the same, I enjoyed it. ...more

I really loved this book. The author artfully switches between two interwoven tales, one modern-day and the other in the 17th-century, both centered in the intriguing and romantic city of Venice, Italy. The story has a bit of everything; romance, history, art, music, murder, intrigue, sacrifice and escapism. I also really enjoyed the central theme of glassblowing, which to me is an amazing art, and made this story even more interesting. The format of this book was wonderful; the chapters are shoI really loved this book. The author artfully switches between two interwoven tales, one modern-day and the other in the 17th-century, both centered in the intriguing and romantic city of Venice, Italy. The story has a bit of everything; romance, history, art, music, murder, intrigue, sacrifice and escapism. I also really enjoyed the central theme of glassblowing, which to me is an amazing art, and made this story even more interesting. The format of this book was wonderful; the chapters are short and the story flows quickly, and I was impressed with how the author managed to weave the two stories together, almost as if they were one -- yet they were actually set a couple hundred years apart. The setting was perfect, as Venice has a timeless and unchanging quality to it -- so it was easy to imagine that pieces of the 17-century Venice are still present in the modern day. And interestingly, according to the conversation with the author at the back of the book, some facets of the story are actually true, although the central characters are fictional. It's just that type of thing that makes me appreciate a book even more -- and now it makes me want to go back to Venice to explore the city some more, and especially to visit the famous glassblowers on Murano. Overall, an excellent read! ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.The first thing I'd like to do is find the person responsible for proof-reading this novel and slap them, followed by recommending that they be fired from employment with the publishing house. There are numerous occassions during the book where words are completely missing from the text and, on page 105 (I was so annoyed I memorised the page number)the narrator refers to Corradino's ancestors when what is clearly meant is descendants.

The shoddy proof-reading wasn't my only issue with this novel.The first thing I'd like to do is find the person responsible for proof-reading this novel and slap them, followed by recommending that they be fired from employment with the publishing house. There are numerous occassions during the book where words are completely missing from the text and, on page 105 (I was so annoyed I memorised the page number)the narrator refers to Corradino's ancestors when what is clearly meant is descendants.

The shoddy proof-reading wasn't my only issue with this novel. Whilst the history that inspired the story was new to me and extremely fascinating, it wasn't enough to earn any extra stars... Where to begin? How about with the annoying, italicised, random thoughts that constantly interrupt the story as Fiorato allows her characters to find their own voice? I say their own voice, but actually all these voices sound the same and none of them are convincing. Most of the time what they have to say simply insults the intelligence ('In case you, the reader, didn't notice, the glass here is a metaphor for...').

Next up you have the modern-day storyline, which reads like really bad chick-lit - annoying heroine (check); unconvincing romance with no basis for the attachment other than the fact the guy looks pretty (check); a feeling that feminism never happened and it's still okay to use the word 'barren' (check)... grr.

Finally, it's all so convenient. Of course you can turn up in a gift shop, ask for a job as a glass blower and get it. Of course infertility can be solved by falling for the right man. Of course, when your ancestor's integrity is called into question, his personal note book will appear just in time to exonerate him (in the store room of the orphanage his daughter grew up in - because, even though she loved her father and was moved to tears when the notebook was given to her following his death, she carelessly neglected to take it with her to the mansion she was moving to).

It's a pity really, because the historical fiction aspect of this novel was pretty readable. ...more

The beauty she discovers around her, touching it, hearing it .... the knowledge that something like it exists and that it is there, where she is.The tears it brings the realization of it existence.... she wrote so beautiful, so real... so close to how those creations make me feelThe smile it brings on your face.

That is how reading The glassblower of Murano made me feel. The story of Leonora moving to Venice to find out about her ancestors. The past and secrets of the Manin family. The beauty andThe beauty she discovers around her, touching it, hearing it .... the knowledge that something like it exists and that it is there, where she is.The tears it brings the realization of it existence.... she wrote so beautiful, so real... so close to how those creations make me feelThe smile it brings on your face.

That is how reading The glassblower of Murano made me feel. The story of Leonora moving to Venice to find out about her ancestors. The past and secrets of the Manin family. The beauty and returning events being told in such a beautiful way by this author.I remember visiting Murano, one of the smaller islands near Venice. I saw the glass that was sold there, where they made it. But after having read the story, I want to leave immediately and see the real fornaci of Murano. To walk around the islands and see, tocuh and feel the wonders they created decenia, centuries ago.

Venice has a past so important and full of secrets that the story about the best glassblower, Corradino, blends in with a grace that makes me remember the beauty which remains there and was told beautifully in this story between two times, connected by the art of glassblowing....more

I was drawn to this book by the promise of reading about Venice and Murano. Unfortunately, I found The Glassblower of Murano to be not so good.

First of all, there's the heroine. Leonora/Nora Manin grew up in London but was born in Venice. Her mother, an Englishwoman, we studying art abroad when she met the Titian-esque Bruno, a vaporetti driver. Of course, she immediately became pregnant, had the baby, and returned to England. Bruno, meanwhile, stayed in Venice and didn't write, ostensibly becaI was drawn to this book by the promise of reading about Venice and Murano. Unfortunately, I found The Glassblower of Murano to be not so good.

First of all, there's the heroine. Leonora/Nora Manin grew up in London but was born in Venice. Her mother, an Englishwoman, we studying art abroad when she met the Titian-esque Bruno, a vaporetti driver. Of course, she immediately became pregnant, had the baby, and returned to England. Bruno, meanwhile, stayed in Venice and didn't write, ostensibly because he had died of a heart attack. At the age of 23. I would have been concerned about this, if I were Leonora. Perhaps I would have scheduled an electrocardiogram for myself, but that seemed to be the one thing that didn't put Leonora in a tizzy. Angry that Bruno didn't leave his family and homeland to follow her to Europe before dying, Leonora's mother became a bitter, hippie feminist. Leonora, however, became the weakest, most disappointing heroine, no, make that protagonist, that I've ever read.

Despite the luck of being able to move to Venice, immediately getting an impossible job as a glassblower, and finding a gorgeous canal-side flat in her ancestral home, she spends the first half of the book feeling sorry for herself because of her recent divorce, and the last half of the book mooning about, pining over her new Italian love, whining when he isn't as attentive as she thinks he should be, and yet refusing to say anything to him about it. It was quite pathetic.

There were a lot of Stephenie Meyer-esque repetitions going on (We know, Corradino doesn't have fingerprints. Please stop telling us about it.), and those became very irritating. As it was when Fiorato repeated the entire first chapter of the book toward the end of the book. It wasn't a cute little literary device, and it was a long chapter. One that I didn't really like reading the first time, to be honest. I also did not like the way Fiorato wrote her characters' thoughts in little italicized statements between paragraphs. Again, it was just a little stylistic affectation, and it was irritating. Plus, when thinking things in their heads, people's thoughts are not as stilted as these statements were. People do not, when remembering something silently to themselves, think the words "I remember when...." It just didn't work for me.

Then there were the plot problems. There were just too many things that were not feasible. I didn't like any of the relationships, and I didn't think that peoples' motives were explained well enough, particularly with regard to Corradino. His reasons for leaving, his reasons for returning, and his supposed exoneration at the book's conclusion--none of it was very convincing, in my opinion. ...more

AlisonTotally agree with you. His ex knew Leonora was seeing him just because she mentioned she had met someone and then the ex noticed a postcard on the frTotally agree with you. His ex knew Leonora was seeing him just because she mentioned she had met someone and then the ex noticed a postcard on the fridge. Of a famous painting. And this is after it's been said that everyone in Venice looks like paintings (about a million times) because of the strong bloodlines (or something). This book was marketed well to hide the fact that it's just a Mills & Boon type romance. I felt duped !...more
Jan 29, 2011 11:37AM

Had this novel been set in ANY other city than my beloved Venice, I'd have rated it 2 stars - finding it rather bland and unexciting with, too often, less than adequate writing. As it is though, and penned by a half-Venetian author who clearly ADORES the city and understands so much of its majestic history, The Glassblower of Murano temporarily satisfied my cravings for enchanting Venezia! Unfortunately though, there were also detracting paragraphs, multiple plot problems, grammatical errors &Had this novel been set in ANY other city than my beloved Venice, I'd have rated it 2 stars - finding it rather bland and unexciting with, too often, less than adequate writing. As it is though, and penned by a half-Venetian author who clearly ADORES the city and understands so much of its majestic history, The Glassblower of Murano temporarily satisfied my cravings for enchanting Venezia! Unfortunately though, there were also detracting paragraphs, multiple plot problems, grammatical errors & very annoying repetition throughout this novel, all of which could easily have been remedied through better editing. ...more

Look, it's a romance, set in beautiful Venice. A bit of harmless escapism, which almost enabled this reader to ignore the utterly unbelievable plot - especially the really silly bit in the middle of the story; to forgive the predictable love interest with the obligatory potential rival thrown in, and to overlook the so-last-century view of womanhood, abandoning everything (home, friends, job etc) all for love.

I received an advanced copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads.

This is a story about Nora/Leonora (present day) and her ancestor, Corradino (17th Century). Nora was born in Venice, but her mother took her to England when she was a baby. Her husband just left her for another woman (older and not as pretty), so to try and move on from the pain, she decides to return to Venice and follow in the footsteps of her ancestor to become a glassblower. Corradino was a maestro glassblower imprisoneI received an advanced copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads.

This is a story about Nora/Leonora (present day) and her ancestor, Corradino (17th Century). Nora was born in Venice, but her mother took her to England when she was a baby. Her husband just left her for another woman (older and not as pretty), so to try and move on from the pain, she decides to return to Venice and follow in the footsteps of her ancestor to become a glassblower. Corradino was a maestro glassblower imprisoned on the island of Murano as all glassblowers are. He is followed by The Ten (the rulers of Venice) at all times because his father was a conspirator against The Ten.

The story follows Nora as she becomes Leonora (her given name) and she connects to her ancestor. There is a mystery surrounding his death and she is determined to find out more about him.

This book was difficult to read in the beginning. Nora's story could be followed, but Corradino's jumped back and forth without any understanding of what time it was--you have to figure it out yourself (many times books will give you a time/date stamp at the beginning of the chapter, but not this one). It took until about 100 pages or so into the book to really start to feel the timeline and not get confused.

The book is written in third person, but mostly from the POV of Leonora or Corradino--occasionally it will jump to another character. There is very little dialogue throughout much of the book--almost none at the beginning where there are lots of descriptions--of everything.

The story was fairly well written with the development of Corradino's story coinciding with Leonora's discoveries paralleled well. The writing tries to give you a sense of the Venician people--not really the city. It does that. I did feel like I understood more about how they people live/lived.

I didn't love this book, though. I was bothered by Leonora's relationship with Alessandro until the end. She seemed too uncertain (and pitiful) and it never gave you Alessandro's side until the very end. Also, my one pet peeve is in this book. I won't give it away, but it deals with Leonora and what happens to her--it comes across as if things that don't work will all of a sudden work when you aren't in the same setting anymore. I disagree with the speed of the change--it can happen, but it usually takes longer. I understand it was important to the story, but it annoyed me and it was the second book in a row with this pet peeve! Ugh.

My final assessment is that this is a decent book. Very different from most of the books that I read, but worth the read. I can't give it 5 or even 4 stars for some of the reasons I've stated, but it is better than 3 stars. I would give it 3.5 stars....more

NicoleI feel the same way about Alessandro! Alessandro just seemed like - well, not particularly present - and then all of a sudden everything magically chaI feel the same way about Alessandro! Alessandro just seemed like - well, not particularly present - and then all of a sudden everything magically changed, and I didn't feel there was the story there to support it....more
Oct 18, 2009 03:35PM

This was a Goodreads Giveaway win for me (yay!) and I was so excited to receive it, frankly, because of how very enticing the title sounded. My overall verdict is: It was okay.

The language was usually very flowery, and while sometimes this did enhance the descriptions of some places deserving of lavish adjectives, it mostly made me feel like the author was trying too hard.

I also had a problem with character/relationship development. Alessandro never progressed enough, for starters. I didn't belThis was a Goodreads Giveaway win for me (yay!) and I was so excited to receive it, frankly, because of how very enticing the title sounded. My overall verdict is: It was okay.

The language was usually very flowery, and while sometimes this did enhance the descriptions of some places deserving of lavish adjectives, it mostly made me feel like the author was trying too hard.

I also had a problem with character/relationship development. Alessandro never progressed enough, for starters. I didn't believe him at all when he suddenly became this possessively jealous and passionate lover...I needed more of a transition from aloof boyfriend to devoted husband-figure. I wasn't crazy about Leonora's need to be validated by things and people outside of herself, which somehow suddenly went away, either.

I enjoyed the historical parts much more than the modern ones, even though, to be fair, the modern ones drew me in like a soap opera!

With all of this said, I have to give the book fair praise. It is a pretty great concept, and though I would have liked to see it become more developed, it definitely held my interest. I also love Italy, and I enjoyed having it described for me so colorfully.

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.This was a good read with one or two flaws. Again, (since I seem to be reading more and more books set in two time-frames,) it was a book set in both the present, or near present and the past – like my own novel, Tainted Tree.

However, the past was a far distant past – the 17th century, when, to quote Wikipedia, ‘mirrors were among the most expensive items to possess and, at the time, the Venetian Republic held the monopoly on the manufacture of mirrors. In order to maintain the integrity of hisThis was a good read with one or two flaws. Again, (since I seem to be reading more and more books set in two time-frames,) it was a book set in both the present, or near present and the past – like my own novel, Tainted Tree.

However, the past was a far distant past – the 17th century, when, to quote Wikipedia, ‘mirrors were among the most expensive items to possess and, at the time, the Venetian Republic held the monopoly on the manufacture of mirrors. In order to maintain the integrity of his philosophy of mercantilism, which required that all items used in the decoration of Versailles be made in France, Jean-Baptiste Colbert enticed several workers from Venice to make mirrors at the Manufacture royale de glaces de miroirs.’

The hero of this novel, Corradino was one of these workers, and his story is told, together with that of his descendant, Leonora, whose ambition is to follow in his footsteps in glassblowing. His life is told from the time he is a child, and he is sympathetically portrayed. Leonora does not come over quite so well, her present day romance lacks passion, and I did not really feel her emotions came over at all.

Although the history of glass making is interesting, I felt that the author used too many technical words (or possibly Italian words), which I skipped over, and also had the bad habit of putting the thoughts of her protagonists in italics in a stand-alone paragraph just after a description of events taking place. This to me gave undue prominence to these thoughts, which were frequently far from profound. However, in general, the unusual history gave the book an extra something, and I did want to go on to find out what would happen to both characters....more

This book was okay. It certainly wasn't horrible, but it's far from being really, really great. It was engaging, in a light, simplistic sort of way of entertaining, but the author seemed to try too hard to make it really "deep". She quotes Dante and other 'great works' seemingly as a way to make her own writing more sophisticated, but the effort falls flat.

Instead of following the essential rule and showing readers what she means and what symbolism is in her story, she tells, as in:

"He felt theThis book was okay. It certainly wasn't horrible, but it's far from being really, really great. It was engaging, in a light, simplistic sort of way of entertaining, but the author seemed to try too hard to make it really "deep". She quotes Dante and other 'great works' seemingly as a way to make her own writing more sophisticated, but the effort falls flat.

Instead of following the essential rule and showing readers what she means and what symbolism is in her story, she tells, as in:

"He felt the assassin's final twist of the blade to snap handle from haft, felt his skin close behind the blade to leave no more than an innocent graze at the point of entry.... As he submerged in the freezing depths, the water closed behind his body to leave no more than an innocent graze at the point of entry." (page 8)

I mean, really? You have to spell it out for us that bluntly? The author often hits us over the head with this sort of thing. "The glass horse broke... and it was as if his childhood had broken, too", that sort of thing.

Beyond that, the ending is far too neatly resolved. Actually, the whole story seemed a bit contrived. But if you're looking for fluffy, easy beach reading, this isn't a terrible book for that purpose.

I saw this book at the airport on Sunday and it was bought and read by the following Wednesday. That is a minor miracle that could have only been possible if someone else bought it and someone else did! She, then, let me read it first. A true friend!

This is the story of a woman who changes her life by going back to her roots - roots she new barely anything about. A sudden turn of events in Nora's life, which, thankfully, the author deals with quickly and succinctly, leads her to Venice and a newI saw this book at the airport on Sunday and it was bought and read by the following Wednesday. That is a minor miracle that could have only been possible if someone else bought it and someone else did! She, then, let me read it first. A true friend!

This is the story of a woman who changes her life by going back to her roots - roots she new barely anything about. A sudden turn of events in Nora's life, which, thankfully, the author deals with quickly and succinctly, leads her to Venice and a new life following in the footsteps of her ancestors.

The story does not blather on about how Nora's mother feels about the Venice connection or too much about Bruno. The amount that is included is just enough to give the reader the background that s/he needs to move on in the story without detracting from the main event.

In Venice, Nora returns to her given name, Leonora, and with it a whole new life. This story isn't written in a straight line and there are twists and turns along the way.

One of the appealing aspects is the reach back to the past where the author tells the story of Corradino in alternative chapters, in a flashback sort of way. In a way this method is like reading two stories at once. I liked that the author dealt with the mistakes that people made.

This book has a great tone and the characters seems real -- not perfect robots that seem so frequent in some fiction lately. This is definitely a book I would like to read again....more

This historical mystery about a prominent glassblower in Murano, Corradino Manin, jumps back and forth between 1681 and the present as one of his artistic descendants, Leonara, tries to uncover what really happened to her talented ancestor. The storyline was so appealing, I was compelled to enter the Goodreads contest to receive an early copy of the book, and I was thrilled when I won one! (Thank you, Goodreads!) Having visited Venice and Murano and graduated from Pitzer College, which was knownThis historical mystery about a prominent glassblower in Murano, Corradino Manin, jumps back and forth between 1681 and the present as one of his artistic descendants, Leonara, tries to uncover what really happened to her talented ancestor. The storyline was so appealing, I was compelled to enter the Goodreads contest to receive an early copy of the book, and I was thrilled when I won one! (Thank you, Goodreads!) Having visited Venice and Murano and graduated from Pitzer College, which was known for it's glassblowing studio, I expected to love this novel. Too bad clunkers such as "Seconds later she left her skin as the phone began to ring," were almost too irritating to overcome. If you can get beyond overwrought phrases of "bone-chilling coldness," "the golden belly of the church," and "he put his hand to his thudding heart, as if to keep that organ from leaping from his chest," the tidbits about Venice will enrich your next trip to this enchanting city. Clearly, the author has done her research about glassblowing, too. In the hands of a stronger writer, this could have been phenomenal....more

I found this book completely absorbing, as another reviewer has said, I actually found myself googling Corradino Manin to check whether he was a real character from history. I have been to Venice a couple of times and this book really recreates the feel of the city; not surprising as the author is half venetian! The book swiches between the modern and the historical as the modern day descendant of Manin gradually unravels the mystery of the past; the outcome of which will have a profound affectI found this book completely absorbing, as another reviewer has said, I actually found myself googling Corradino Manin to check whether he was a real character from history. I have been to Venice a couple of times and this book really recreates the feel of the city; not surprising as the author is half venetian! The book swiches between the modern and the historical as the modern day descendant of Manin gradually unravels the mystery of the past; the outcome of which will have a profound affect on her. I definately want to read more books by this author now.

One slight criticism I have is that the opening chapter is repeated word for word towards the end of the book, except for a few paragraphs at the end. I don't know if this was intentional or not; it is true that now that chapter carries meaning that we couldn't understand at the beginning of the book, but I still didn't want to read it all over again. Not a big problem, I skipped through it until I reached the extra lines.

Halfway through this book I gave it three stars as a preliminary rating. By the time I was done, I'd given it four.

Although it gets off to a bit of a slow start, by the end of the novel I was completely engrossed in the story. Remarkably sweet and touching, it tells the story of Nora's attempt to discover more about herself, as an artist and an individual, on a trip to Venice. her story intertwines in revolving chapters with that of her ancestor, the most famous glassblower in Venetian history.Halfway through this book I gave it three stars as a preliminary rating. By the time I was done, I'd given it four.

Although it gets off to a bit of a slow start, by the end of the novel I was completely engrossed in the story. Remarkably sweet and touching, it tells the story of Nora's attempt to discover more about herself, as an artist and an individual, on a trip to Venice. her story intertwines in revolving chapters with that of her ancestor, the most famous glassblower in Venetian history. Trying to understand more about her own origins as a female glassblower in a male oriented trade, she delves more into her own history to discover more about her roots. I honestly had to say that I would have given then book five stars if some of the segues into each chapter hadn't been a little confusing. in addition, some of the secondary characters seemed a little two-dimensional, especially Allesandro, Nora's love interest. At times he seemed little more than a necessary pilot to move the story in the right direction.

All in all, a great story, and a sweet read. Totally captivating in it's descriptions of Venice, and Venetian history, once hooked, I couldn't put it down. ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.Man, I was really excited. I thought this was the first Goodreads First Reads book I'd get where I could rate it a four or a five. And then I hit the last 30 pages. This had an awesome middle, but had some serious missteps at the beginning and end. If the ending had been better it would get a four.

First, the middle.

The middle of this book illustrates the work of glassmaking in an almost visceral manner. It brings alive what it must have been like to make glass hundreds of years ago, and the diffMan, I was really excited. I thought this was the first Goodreads First Reads book I'd get where I could rate it a four or a five. And then I hit the last 30 pages. This had an awesome middle, but had some serious missteps at the beginning and end. If the ending had been better it would get a four.

First, the middle.

The middle of this book illustrates the work of glassmaking in an almost visceral manner. It brings alive what it must have been like to make glass hundreds of years ago, and the difficulties of glassmakers on Murano today. I also grew to like the main character, Leonora Manin, who after a difficult divorce has moved to Venice to reconnect with her heritage and further her work in the glass arts. I liked watching her delve into her own history.

So, that's the middle, and the stuff I liked about the book.

The things that knocked it down to a four:

Two-dimensional characterization. We have two "bad guy" characters in the novel, Roberto and Vittoria. Neither of them have any redeeming qualities; they're just self-serving and eeeeeevil. But two-dimensional characters are par for the course here; Leonora's beau Alessandro is similarly two-dimensional, going from perfect lover to jealous lover to last-minute hero without any real deep sense of his motivation.

Unexpected mid-chapter switch in perspective. In the beginning, the story is told in close-third from two perspectives, Leonora and that of her ancestor Corradino. In later chapters, we get the perspective of another character in Corradino's era, and that's...fine. It moves the story forward. But then in Chapter 20, Leonora goes to visit Professore Padovani. In the middle of the chapter, with no warning and no section break (and no real purpose), the perspective shifts to Padovani for a few paragraphs, and then back to Leonora. It doesn't add to the story; it just looks like she wrote a rough draft from Padovani's point of view, switched it to Leonora's, forgot to edit six lines of the original draft, and then the editors rushed and also missed it. This happens several times in the last two hundred pages of the book, and it doesn't add anything - it just takes away from the story.

Massive infodump in Chapter 2. Pages nine through 20 are dull, tedious exposition on Leonora's backstory. We started off so well! So excitingly! In media res! Can't you keep some forward plot motion going and have her backstory revealed during the action? My ex-husband the English composition professor would have given Fiorato a D for chapter 2.

The things that brought it down to a three:Chapter One and Chapter 38 are the same frickin' chapter. Word for word, cut and paste, eight pages, NO CHANGES. Really? Really? Were you eight pages short of the length required by your publisher? At this point, you've swapped perspectives so often. Can't you give us the same scene from someone else's perspective? Couldn't you at least assume we'd remember what happened?

The ending really left me cold. After all the work Leonora does to find out what really happened with Corradino, her boyfriend - the one who got her pregnant and won't shack up with her and has been totally no help and just THREW her PRICELESS antique NECKLACE made by her ANCESTOR into the GRAND CANAL, for heavens' sake - leaves her standing by the Grand Canal, hares off to the library at the orphanage and finds the book Corradino left behind. Meanwhile, Leonora's off having a baby. (Don't these people have cellphones? I've been to Venice. EVERYONE has a mobile phone! Why wouldn't the hospital call him to say, "Hey, your girlfriend who you won't MOVE IN WITH despite the fact that SHE'S HAVING YOUR BABY is in the midst of a difficult and dangerous breech birth!") Alessandro's basically been the absentee boyfriend for the whole novel, and now at the last minute he saves the day, and basically takes away all the power and self-actualization that Leonora built up through the novel. Because she's got a BABY, see! And that's the most important thing in the WORLD!

As you can see by that incredibly calm and self-possessed critique above, I was a bit annoyed that Fiorato spent 90% of the novel transforming Leonora from someone whose entire identity was formed by others into her own person, and then knocked her back to being the weak woman who is rescued by others. Although, come to think of it, she never really does develop her own identity, does she? She first takes her identity from her husband, then from her ancestor Corradino, then from her husband and son (and after childbirth really seems to lose interest in the whole glass-making thing that was so important before). Ugh. The ending just left a bad taste in my mouth....more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.I really wanted to like this book. I liked the format (chapters on the life of a present-day woman alternating with chapters related to her Venetian glass-blower ancestor in the mid- to late-1600s). I did not like the modern-day character, Nora/Leonora. Not liking her was not a problem, as there are many characters I did not like in other books, but I still had a respect for the character (like a well-drawn villain or a likably insecure person). With Nora/Leonora, it seemed the author intended hI really wanted to like this book. I liked the format (chapters on the life of a present-day woman alternating with chapters related to her Venetian glass-blower ancestor in the mid- to late-1600s). I did not like the modern-day character, Nora/Leonora. Not liking her was not a problem, as there are many characters I did not like in other books, but I still had a respect for the character (like a well-drawn villain or a likably insecure person). With Nora/Leonora, it seemed the author intended her to be likable, but I felt more annoyed with her and had no respect for her character. I found her to be juvenile in her thinking and communication, which created many problems in her relationships, which I suppose created "dramatic tension" (I can only think that is what the author was thinking), but really just created fill for a romantic relationship that really had no substance (yet, the author presented it as if it did) and other relationships that were full of mishaps and misunderstandings. It seemed to me less of a literary technique/intention and more of a result of limited life experience on the part of the author.

The other thing that bothered me was the "resolution." I just didn't get it. How does Corrado coming back to Venice for his daughter forgive the fact that he betrayed the secrets of Murano glassblowing to the French?

Finally, the author's word choice got a little repetitive, and it seemed she was trying too hard. The first time she used the adjective "peerless" it stood out as a unique way to describe something, but the three times after that it felt contrived. Still, the book is not without merit (mostly the story from the 1600s), hence the two stars.

I picked the book knowing nothing about author or the storyline. Two things attracted me, the word “Glassblower” and the book cover.

I started reading this book in a flight back to Bangalore. The opening was good, but very soon I realized that they have used lots of Italian. This language is totally foreign to me. As I proceeded further and the Corradino character started forming I indulged in a book.

Actually I started believing it’s a real story of a Glassblower in Murano. Once I was in the accI picked the book knowing nothing about author or the storyline. Two things attracted me, the word “Glassblower” and the book cover.

I started reading this book in a flight back to Bangalore. The opening was good, but very soon I realized that they have used lots of Italian. This language is totally foreign to me. As I proceeded further and the Corradino character started forming I indulged in a book.

Actually I started believing it’s a real story of a Glassblower in Murano. Once I was in the access of internet I browsed to confirm my belief. I felt sad and impressed at the same time. Sad because it’s not a real character and impressed by an author Marina Fiorato.

The story reveals the life of Corradino and the present of Leonora in parallel. The agony of the glassblower, the skills for survival and protection of secret child is the tale of Corradino. Where has Love, child and ancestral rivalries is existence of Leonora.

I like the part when Corradino is working on the droplets for a huge chandelier. The work with such perfection and the imaginary thought of its placement mesmerized me. Loveliest accessory is the glass heart hanging in Leonora’s neck.

It’s a great book to relax and wander around the Venetian suburb of Murano....more

This was an extremely enjoyable read that bounced back and forth between modern-day and 17th century Venice. Reeling from a recent divorce and an infertility diagnosis, Leonora Manin leaves England for Venice, her birthplace and spiritual home. In search of solace and a sense of history, Leonora looks to her father's ancestor and legendary glassblower Corradino to help her find a anchor in a city built on water. As the sometimes sordid details of Corradino's life come to light, Leonora finds herThis was an extremely enjoyable read that bounced back and forth between modern-day and 17th century Venice. Reeling from a recent divorce and an infertility diagnosis, Leonora Manin leaves England for Venice, her birthplace and spiritual home. In search of solace and a sense of history, Leonora looks to her father's ancestor and legendary glassblower Corradino to help her find a anchor in a city built on water. As the sometimes sordid details of Corradino's life come to light, Leonora finds her footing in Venice, and with her Venetian love Alessandro, shifting beneath her.

I enjoyed this book and the story that centered around Leonora and her search for herself because it felt emotionally true. The storyline that focused on Corradino was rich with details of 17th century Venice and the art of glassblowing, but lacked that same emotional connection. On the other hand, Fiorato's love of Venice itself shone through both narratives and provided an excellent unifying thread. I have travelled to Venice several times and can definitely relate to Leonora's desire to make a home there if at all possible. Venice in this novel lives and breathes as much as any other character, and lends its unique flavor to this excellent novel. Highly recommended....more

I'm a fan of historical fiction, with authors such as Philippa Gregory, Kathleen Kent, Diana Gabaldon, and Sarah Dunant on my books read list. Also, I've visited Venice and am a fan of glass art, specifically Dale Chihuly's, so I was really looking forward to reading this book when I received the ARC I won in a Goodreads contest. The book weaves two stories, one set in the present about Leonora Manin from London, who comes to Venice hoping to be the first female master glassblower, and one aboutI'm a fan of historical fiction, with authors such as Philippa Gregory, Kathleen Kent, Diana Gabaldon, and Sarah Dunant on my books read list. Also, I've visited Venice and am a fan of glass art, specifically Dale Chihuly's, so I was really looking forward to reading this book when I received the ARC I won in a Goodreads contest. The book weaves two stories, one set in the present about Leonora Manin from London, who comes to Venice hoping to be the first female master glassblower, and one about her ancestor Corradino Manin, who in a traitorous act to his home city state, sells his methods to King Louis XIV of France to protect his secret daughter.

The author did not disappoint me with her lyrical descriptions of the city of Venice and its island for the glassblowing industry, Murano. Also, the descriptions of the glassblowing itself showed a true appreciation of the art, and I'm sure the author has visited glass workshops and talked to glassblowers. I was fascinated with the tale of Corradino Manin, the reasons for his treachery and how it was carried out.

However, the modern-day tale of Leonora didn't capture my interest as much. I felt that more could have been made of the conflict with her rival glassblower Roberto and there could have been deeper tension in her relationship with Police Detective Alessandro. With an archrival lurking around and a detective ready to investigate any crime, I felt that the gun had been left on the mantle for all to see, and it wasn't used. Of course, being a mystery fan, I'm looking for mystery in all that I read. There was plenty to interest me in Corradino's story, but I felt Leonora's conflict could have been deeper.

I liked how author Fiorato weaved symbology through the intertwined stories and brought it all together in the end, a reflection of her story-telling skill. Because of this and Corradino's tale, I rated the book as 4 stars....more

I got a couple of chapters into this and realised it wouldn't be anything new. The story of the glassblower's life could have been interesting, but the modern Leonora's life was so much cliché and drew so much on people's perceptions of Venice as a beautiful and romantic place and blah blah blah. The parallel stories, modern and ancient, is a device that's been used a thousand times before.

And the writing itself is truly indifferent. I don't think I read anything with even a spec of originality.I got a couple of chapters into this and realised it wouldn't be anything new. The story of the glassblower's life could have been interesting, but the modern Leonora's life was so much cliché and drew so much on people's perceptions of Venice as a beautiful and romantic place and blah blah blah. The parallel stories, modern and ancient, is a device that's been used a thousand times before.

And the writing itself is truly indifferent. I don't think I read anything with even a spec of originality. The use of italics is irritating and lazy. None of it made me care in any way.

I was, at least, entertained by the fact that apparently I know Venice quite well through playing Assassin's Creed 2, and that I understood the snippets of Italian in the same way....more

NikkiI guess that depends on your perspective. I thought Assassin's Creed was a pretty good game. It got somewhat more user friendly and more varied in AssI guess that depends on your perspective. I thought Assassin's Creed was a pretty good game. It got somewhat more user friendly and more varied in Assassin's Creed 2, but the first game was still pretty good....more
Feb 19, 2011 10:33AM

HollisYeah? Oh well, I was just watching tbh and going on first impressions, I wouldn't know. :P
Feb 19, 2011 11:08AM

I hate to be negative about a book I received for free from GR, but here goes. The more I read this book, the less I enjoyed it. The prose tends to be quite melodramatic, particularly the female protagonist's inner dialogue. In fact, the prose at times was so strangely phrased that I kept wondering if this was a translation.

I really liked the historically based plot at first, but it took a few romance novel/chick lit turns that lost my interest.

However, if you're interested in Venice (always a gI hate to be negative about a book I received for free from GR, but here goes. The more I read this book, the less I enjoyed it. The prose tends to be quite melodramatic, particularly the female protagonist's inner dialogue. In fact, the prose at times was so strangely phrased that I kept wondering if this was a translation.

I really liked the historically based plot at first, but it took a few romance novel/chick lit turns that lost my interest.

However, if you're interested in Venice (always a great setting for a novel) or learning a little about the art of glassblowing, you might want to pick this up and give it a chance....more

We all have this image of how our life should be, how we expect it to be. It's Nora's barren existence until her husband leaves, that prompts her to pack her things and moves to Venice, the home of her ancestors. Nora feels a unique ancestorial connection to one legendary Corrinando Manen in particular, for they share a love for the glass. As she learns more about the life of Corrinando, she ultimately learns more about herself. I found this to a culturally beautiful story which awakened my eyesWe all have this image of how our life should be, how we expect it to be. It's Nora's barren existence until her husband leaves, that prompts her to pack her things and moves to Venice, the home of her ancestors. Nora feels a unique ancestorial connection to one legendary Corrinando Manen in particular, for they share a love for the glass. As she learns more about the life of Corrinando, she ultimately learns more about herself. I found this to a culturally beautiful story which awakened my eyes and senses to a world unfamiliar to me....more

This review has a spoiler so I'm saving you from reading this annoying book that promised to be a good historical mystery/thriller. Where to start?Englishwoman goes to 60's Venice to study art. Meets Italian Adonis vaporetto driver (who looks like a painting), & is descended from the most famous glass blower in Murano: Corradino Manin. Woman gets pregnant, returns to England, never hears from Adonis again & becomes a bitter feminist.Fast forward 20 yrs: their daughter Leonora Manin, nowThis review has a spoiler so I'm saving you from reading this annoying book that promised to be a good historical mystery/thriller. Where to start?Englishwoman goes to 60's Venice to study art. Meets Italian Adonis vaporetto driver (who looks like a painting), & is descended from the most famous glass blower in Murano: Corradino Manin. Woman gets pregnant, returns to England, never hears from Adonis again & becomes a bitter feminist.Fast forward 20 yrs: their daughter Leonora Manin, now a divorced women artist in search of her own roots, goes to Italy. The story alternates between Leonora's life in Italy and her ancestor Corradino Manin's life in Venice in the 1600s. This was the only interesting part of the book - where you actually learned something of the ancient glassworks and how that society functioned.Improbable coincidences/plot turns:- Despite having received divorce proceeds of an English manor large enough to have its own name, Leonora promptly runs out of money.- She lands an impossible job at the ancient prestigious Murano glassworks, which for hundreds of years has only hired native male Venetians. - Enter another Italian Adonis - a policeman this time (who also looks like a painting), who proceeds to find her an oh-so-cute, affordable (impossible to find) apartment in the heart of Venice. Leonora makes an enemy at work, a descendant of a rival glass blower to Corradino Manin. Think Hatfield-McCoys, except these people hold grudges for CENTURIES! Then, surprise? Leonora gets pregnant to Adonis, who has a stiletto heeled, hell-on-wheels ex-girlfriend/reporter who writes a damning article about Lenora's ancestor. Leonora spends the rest of the book, (and pregnancy) trying to clear her ancestor's name and wondering why Adonis won't become her baby-daddy.- You would think that Corrado Manin not having fingerprints, which the author emphasizes several times, would be crucial to the plot at some point?- And why focus on the feminist mother at the beginning, when that fact is never again relevant?- I also anxiously waited (in vain) for the ex-girlfriend/reporter to wreak havoc on the relationship, as promised.Incipid, with inconsistent time sequences, improbable events, and annoying stylistic tics (italic "thoughts" direct from the characters' brains.)Yawn . . . . zzzzz...more

As soon as I read the description of this book, I knew I had to read it, because the setting – Venice – mirrors that for my own recent romance novel, The Echoes of Love; and it’s one of my favourite places in the world and most certainly a perfect backdrop for intrigue and romance.

I loved this book. Loved it! It’s one of those books that you want to start reading again no sooner have you finished reading it.

The writing is beautiful – so carefully crafted and melodious and wonderfully descriptivAs soon as I read the description of this book, I knew I had to read it, because the setting – Venice – mirrors that for my own recent romance novel, The Echoes of Love; and it’s one of my favourite places in the world and most certainly a perfect backdrop for intrigue and romance.

I loved this book. Loved it! It’s one of those books that you want to start reading again no sooner have you finished reading it.

The writing is beautiful – so carefully crafted and melodious and wonderfully descriptive, really transporting me to the Venice of today and of the seventeenth century.

I loved both the plot lines, and how superbly the author interweaves them. Plenty of mystery and drama is created by the historic storyline, and the modern-day one is full of emotion and need and passion.

The characters are true to life – flawed but likeable. I was especially moved by the characterisation of Corradino; I’d have loved more detail on his own love affair.

The historical and cultural references are fascinating. I especially loved the detail on Murano glassblowing, and the connecting of fiction to fact, such as in Corradino’s creation of the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles.

Overall, this is a book to read if you love:

1) well-researched historical fiction with plenty of detail;2) high romance with plenty of passion;3) a touch of family drama; and4) Venice – this book will take you there and leave you itching to book a flight to the city of love!...more

I visited Murano for the day as a teenager and remember seeing some glassblowing for real, so this book sort of drew me in. The main character is trying to build a new life for herself in Venice after a failed marriage in England. She is keen to learn the glassblowing trade of her ancestors and discovers an intriguing history which begins to affect her chance of success and happiness. The switch between the present and the past makes for an interesting read.

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.I was fooled by a story that promised glassblowers in the beautiful setting of Venice and promises of intrigue in a historical setting. I should have known better. It was disappointing and foolishly romantic. When the main character turns out pregnant after being involved with a man for a few days, I was stunned that an educated woman (the writer) would romanticize the fact that this woman in this day and age had unprotected sex.